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SHERIDAN'S  RIDE. 


SHERIDAN'S    RlDE. 


BY 


T.  BUCHANAN  READ. 


Illustrated  with  Engravings  on 
Wood,  from  ^Designs  Espe 
cially  ^Prepared/or  this  Edition. 


PHILADELPHIA: 


J.    B.    LIPPINCOTT    COMPANY. 
1895. 


Copyright,  1890,  by  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY. 


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"Up  from  the  South  at  break  of  day, 
Bringing  to  Winchester  fresh  dismay, 
The  affrighted  air  with  a  shudder  bore, 
Like  a  herald  in  haste,  to  the  chieftain's  door. 


DRAWINGS. 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Q 

"UP   FROM   THE   SOUTH    AT    BREAK   OF   DAY." 

II. 
"AND   WIDER   STILL  THOSE   BILLOWS  OF   WAR   THUNDERED    ALONG  THE    HORIZON'S   BAR." 

III. 
'A  STEED   AS   BLACK    AS  THE  STEEDS   OF   NIGHT   WAS  SEEN  TO    PASS,   AS   WITH    EAGLE    FLIGHT.' 

IV. 

"STILL  SPRUNG  FROM  THOSE  SWIFT  HOOFS,  THUNDERING  SOUTH." 

V. 
"UNDER  HIS  SPURNING  FEET  THE  ROAD  LIKE  AN  ARROWY  ALPINE  RIVER  FLOWED." 

VI. 

"AND  THE   WAVE   OF   RETREAT   CHECKED    ITS  COURSE  THERE." 
VII. 

"HURRAH!   HURRAH  FOR  SHERIDAN!     HURRAH!    HURRAH  FOR  HORSE  AND  MAN!" 

VIII. 
"HERB  is  THE  STEED  THAT  SAVED  THE  DAY." 


T  TP  from  the  South  at  break  of  day, 

Bringing  to  Winchester  fresh  dismay, 
The  affrighted  air  with  a  shudder  bore, 
Like  a  herald  in  haste,  to  the  chieftain's  door, 
The  terrible  grumble,  and  rumble,  and  roar, 
Telling  the  battle  was  on  once  more, 
And  Sheridan  twenty  miles  away. 


'And  wider  still  those  billows  of  war 
Thundered  along  the  horizon's  bar ; 
And  louder  yet  into  Winchester  rolled 
The  roar  of  that  red  sea  uncontrolled.' 


A  ND  wider  still  those  billows  of  war 

Thundered  along  the  horizon's  bar  ; 
And  louder  yet  into  Winchester  rolled 
The  roar  of   that  red  sea  uncontrolled, 
Making  the  blood  of  the  listener  cold, 
As  he  thought  of   the  stake  in  that  fiery  fray, 
And  Sheridan  twenty  miles  away. 


'  And  there,  through  the  flush  of  the  morning  light, 
A  steed  as  black  as  the  steeds  of  night 
Was  seen  to  pass,  as  with  eagle  flight." 


DUT  there  is  a  road  from  Winchester  town, 

A  good  broad  highway  leading  down  ; 
And  there,  through  the  flush  of  the  morning  light, 
A  steed  as  black  as  the  steeds  of  night 
Was-  seen  to  pass,  as  with  eagle  flight, 
As  if  he  knew  the  terrible  need  ; 
He  stretched  away  with  his  utmost  speed  ; 
Hills  rose  and  fell  ;    but  his  heart  was  gay, 
With  Sheridan  fifteen  miles  away. 


'Still  sprung  from  those  swift  hoofs,  thundering  South, 
The  dust,  like  smoke  from  the  cannon's  mouth  ; 
Or  the  trail  of  a  comet,  sweeping  faster  and  faster, 
Foreboding  to  traitors  the  doom  of  disaster." 


OTILL    sprung    from    those   swift   hoofs,   thundering 

South, 

The  dust,  like  smoke  from  the  cannon's  mouth ; 
Or  the  trail  of  a  comet,  sweeping  faster  and  faster, 
Foreboding  to  traitors  the  doom  of  disaster. 
The  heart  of  the  steed,  and  the  heart  of  the  master, 
Were  beating  like  prisoners  assaulting  their  walls, 
Impatient  to  be  where  the  battle-field  calls  ; 
Every  nerve  of  the  charger  was  strained  to  full  play, 
With  Sheridan  only  ten  miles  away. 


'  Under  his  spurning  feet  the  road 
Like  an  arrowy  Alpine  river  flowed, 
And  the  landscape  sped  away  behind 
Like  an  ocean  flying  before  the  wind." 


T  TNDER  his  spurning  feet  the  road 

Like  an  arrowy  Alpine  river  flowed, 
And  the  landscape  sped  away  behind 
Like  an  ocean  flying  before  the  wind, 
And-  the  steed,   like  a  barque  fed  with  furnace  ire, 
Swept  on,  with  his  wild  eye  full  of  fire. 
But  lo  !    he  is  nearing  his  heart's  desire  ; 
He  is  snuffing  the  smoke  of  the  roaring  fray, 
With  Sheridan  only  five  miles  away. 


'""PHE  first  that  the  general  saw  were  the  groups 

Of  stragglers,  and  then  the  retreating  troops. 
What  was  done  ?  what  to  do  ?  a  glance  told  him  both  ; 
Then,  striking  his  spurs,  with  a  terrible  oath, 
He  dashed  down  the  line,  'mid  a  storm  of  huzzas, 
And  the  wave  of  retreat  checked  its  course  there,  because 
The  sight  of  the  master  compelled  it  to  pause. 
With  foam  and  with  dust,  the  black  charger  was  gray ; 
By  the  flash  of  his  eye,  and  the  red  nostril's  play, 
He  seemed  to  the  whole  great  army  to  say, 
"  I  have  brought  you  Sheridan  all  the  way 
From  Winchester,  down  to  save  the  day !" 


TJURRAH!  hurrah  for  Sheridan! 

Hurrah  !    hurrah  for  horse  and  man  ! 
And  when  their  statues  are  placed  on  high, 
Under  the  dome  of  the  Union  sky, 
The  American  soldiers'  Temple  of  Fame, 
There,  with  the  glorious  general's  name, 
Be  it  said,  in  letters  both  bold  and  bright, 

"  Here  is  the  steed  that  saved  the  day, 
By  carrying  Sheridan  into   the  fight, 

From  Winchester,   twenty  miles  away!" 


'Be  it  said,  in  letters  both  bold  and  bright,. 

'  Here  is  the  steed  that  saved  the  day, 
By  carrying  Sheridan  into  the  fight, 
From  Winchester,  twenty  miles  away  !'  " 


AHIBRARY&. 
>  *    *—*•&• 


^E-UNIVERS/ 


A  A      000120545    9 


